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Koh Seow Chuan (b. 1939, Singapore–) is a founder of DP Architects, one of Singapore’s most established architecture firms. He is also an internationally renowned philatelist and a prominent heritage philanthropist. His architecture of the Esplanade – Theatres on the Bay earned him the Royal Institute of British Architects’ Worldwide Design Award in 2005 and the President’s Design Award in 2006. In addition, Koh’s outstanding contributions towards the preservation of local heritage, history and the arts earned him the Distinguished Patron of Heritage Award in 2009.1

Education and careerKoh obtained his early education in Singapore. His interest in architecture led him to pursue a bachelor’s degree in architecture at the University of Melbourne, graduating in 1963.2

In 1967, together with William Lim and Tay Kheng Soon, Koh established Design Partnership (renamed DP Architects Pte Ltd in 1975), a full-service architecture firm. Under Koh’s leadership and direction during its formative years, the company undertook large-scale architectural projects locally and within the region. DP Architects has since gained a reputation for design excellence and now provides a comprehensive repertoire of services. Today, the DP Group of Companies includes offices in Southeast Asia, China, the Middle East and the United Kingdom, handling major international projects such as the Dubai Mall.3

Koh is a member of various professional associations including the Royal Institute of British Architects, Malaysian Institute of Architects, Royal Australian Institute of Architects and the Singapore Institute of Architects.5

For the Esplanade project, Koh won the Royal Institute of British Architects’ Worldwide Design Award in 2005 as well as the President’s Design Award the following year, in recognition of the landmark’s unique architectural design.6

PhilatelyA passionate philatelist, Koh has been collecting stamps since the age of five. Intrigued by the foreign stamps that his father, a gold bullion trader, brought home from overseas, he turned his childhood hobby into a serious investment in his late 20s. His career as an architect allowed him to travel around the region and thus amass a large collection of valuable stamps steeped in historical significance.7

Together with a group of other philately enthusiasts, Koh helped to officially establish the Inter-Asia Philately Federation in 1974, holding the position of general secretary. In 1995, while he was the vice-president of the organising committee of the Singapore World Stamp Exhibition, Koh showcased his stamp collection entitled Straits Settlements Revenues, which dates back to the 1860s, at the Singapore Philatelic Museum. Over the years, he served as president of the Singapore Stamp Club (1969–76), president of the Association of Singapore Philatelists (1989–2002), chairman of the Singapore Philatelic Museum (2001–05) and the first Asian president of the Federation of International Philately (2002–06).8

Koh also holds the distinction of being the first Singaporean to sign the British Philatelic Federation’s Roll of Distinguished Philatelists in 1992.9 In 1996, his collection of stamps issued in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia between 1851 and 1867 earned him the Grand Prix National Award at the World Philatelic Exhibition in Canada. He is the first local to win an international stamp-collecting award in North America.10

PhilanthropyBesides stamps, Koh also owns an extensive collection of historical documents, old postcards, cultural artefacts, maps, photographs, antique books and artworks. He has contributed significantly towards the preservation of Singapore’s national heritage.11

His interest in local heritage and the arts led him to serve in various capacities related to these fields. He was a board member of the National Heritage Board from 1997 to 2013, and was the former chairman of the Singapore Art Museum and the National Gallery Singapore (NGS). After he stepped down as chairman of NGS in 2013, he was appointed chairman of the newly established Visual Arts Cluster Advisory Board under the Ministry of Culture, Community and Youth.12

In 2003, Koh donated 150 paintings by local artists to the Singapore Art Museum. Three years later, he again gifted 63 works by expressionist artist Wong Keen to the same institution.13

Between 2007 and 2008, Koh donated over 2,700 historical items from the 19th and early 20th centuries, including legal documents and rare maps, to the National Library Board (NLB) as well as over 90,000 historic photographs and postcards to the Singapore Philatelic Museum. The NLB’s Koh Seow Chuan Collection is a historically significant resource for the study of local colonial communities and the social history of Singapore.14

In recognition of his efforts in preserving historically invaluable fragments of the past and his generous contributions towards Singapore’s heritage and the arts, Koh was bestowed the Patron of the Arts honour in 2004,15 and the Patron of Heritage award in 2006. In 2009, he received the Distinguished Patron of Heritage Award.16

The information in this article is valid as at 2016 and correct as far as we are able to ascertain from our sources. It is not intended to be an exhaustive or complete history of the subject. Please contact the Library for further reading materials on the topic.